Learn what every symbol on the card means.Full credits and sources at beakbrain.com/symbols
MarineCavity nestMedium · 218 g
ID tip
This small auk species is black on the head, throat and rear neck, grey-backed, and has white underparts. The yellow bill is short and stubby. It has a small rounded black tail. The summer adults have white head streaks giving an aged look and leading to the English name. Other plumages are similar, but lack the crown streaks and black on the throat. Ancient murrelets tend to bank from side to side in flight to a greater extent than other small auks. They fly with fast wing beats due to their short wings. Measurements: Length: 7.9–9.4 in (20–24 cm) Weight: 5.4–8.8 oz (150–250 g) Wingspan: 17.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Ancient Murrelet
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 9 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Ancient Murrelet
The map shades 9 countries with regular records, and 4 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in Taiwan, United Kingdom, Mexico, Finland.
About the Ancient Murrelet
The ancient murrelet is a bird in the auk family. The English term "murrelet" is a diminutive of "murre", a word of uncertain origins, but which may imitate the call of the common guillemot. Ancient murrelets are called "ancient" because they have grey on the back like a shawl, as worn by the elderly.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Scripps's MurreletSynthliboramphus scrippsiScripps's murrelet is a small seabird found in the California Current system in the Pacific Ocean.
Craveri's MurreletSynthliboramphus craveriCraveri's murrelet is a small seabird which breeds on offshore islands in both the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California off the Baja peninsula of Mexico.
Guadalupe MurreletSynthliboramphus hypoleucusThe Guadalupe murrelet or Xantus's murrelet is a small seabird found in the California Current system in the Pacific Ocean.
Learn the Ancient Murrelet in the BeakBrain App
Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.
Play today's Daily BirdEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.